1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to assemblies for accessing a body cavity, and more particularly, to an access assembly having a low profile.
2. Background of Related Art
Trocars and other access assemblies are used by surgeons to operate on a patient without having to create large incisions that may become infected and may cause major scaring. Access assemblies are known in the art, as are the instruments inserted therethrough for operating within the body cavity. Typically, an access assembly includes a housing, and a tubular member or cannula affixed to the housing and configured for insertion into a body cavity. These assemblies generally include a zero closure seal mounted within the housing to prevent the escape of insufflation gas and an instrument seal also within the housing for forming a seal about the instrument.
The cannula of conventional access assemblies are limited in that they reduce the type and configuration of instruments that may be inserted into a body cavity. A curved or otherwise bent instrument may not be inserted through a conventional cannula. In addition, manipulation of the inserted instrument is limited by the dimensioning of the cannula. Even further, the housing and a conventional cannula incorporates both the instrument and zero closure seal, and, as a result, presents a relatively large profile encompassing a significantly larger area within the operative field.
Therefore, it would be beneficial to have an access assembly including a low profile housing and capable of permitting offset manipulation of the instrument.